Diagnostic tools used to detect leukemia

Selina M. Luger, MD, Director of the Leukemia Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, responds:

We usually investigate a patient for leukemia when there is an abnormality
in the numbers or subtypes of blood counts. In order to evaluate these
abnormalities, we can look at the blood cells under the microscope and if
necessary do a bone marrow test. The bone marrow is essentially the
manufacturing plant of blood cells; so we can look at see if the cells are
being made properly or not. In the case of acute leukemia's, we see a high
percentage of immature cells or blasts in the bone marrow. In the case of
chronic leukemia's, we see too many mature cells. We can do special test on
the bone marrow cells that tell us more about these cells.

Sometimes leukemia can also have different manifestations, because the
leukemia cells can sometimes involve other places like the skin. Sometimes
test on these cells will tell us there is an abnormal type of blood cell
present and then we would do a bone marrow test again to see if we can find leukemia.